The Daily Egyptian - August 23, 2023

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Biden admin seeks to help with student loans after forgiveness overturned

Jamilah lewis Jlewis@dailyegyptian com

After the Supreme Court’s 6-3 vote on July 30 halted all actions of Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, millions of people in America are left wondering how they will pay their student loans off again.

The program initially intended to cancel around $430 billion in federal student loans, wiping out debt for around 20 million borrowers, as stated in Biden v. Nebraska.

The conclusion of the case was that the Secretary of Education does not have the power under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 (Heroes Act) to initiate the student loan forgiveness plan.

Moving forward, organizations like the Department of Education are still

looking for ways to help students and former students pay off loans.

When the Daily Egyptian asked several students and alumni with loan debt about the ruling earlier, the response was mostly that they felt like they’d be paying their student loans back until their middle age.

Dental hygiene student Alyssa Steinkamp said in a previous Daily Egyptian article, “I might have to keep paying these loans until I’m almost 50, probably later than that. It stresses me out.”

Steinkamp talked about being in a program like dental hygiene and the additional fees she has to pay along with her education.

“We have an additional 1015k dollar cost for our program,” Steinkamp said. “That could

definitely affect someone’s decision.”

SIU students were expecting relief from this program, and now turn back to school resources for the answers.

Director of Financial Aid Elyse

Weller said because of SIU’s variety of financial resources, the Supreme Court ruling will not stop financial aid from helping students get the funding needed for their education.

“This year, coming up for [202324] will be the sixth year that we have not increased tuition for undergraduates,” Weller said. “We’ve also initiated a program for Illinois residents called Saluki Commitment, with money from Illinois Students Assistance Commission.”

The program is called Aim High with the purpose of aiding in closing

the financial gap for Illinois students to afford to come to SIU, Weller said.

“We also have a great merit-based scholarship program for new freshmen and transfer students,” Weller said. “Pretty much anybody that meets the admission requirements is going to get some type of merit-based scholarship.”

Weller said there’s also funding for fully online students with partnering community colleges.

“If they [students] can work with one of our partner community colleges on a transfer path and then you know, we fund them for $4,000 a year for two years,” Weller said.

“They don’t even have to actually move to Illinois to campus because we have partners in Texas [and] other states.”

Weller believes the Department of Education does a good job of helping loan holders to pay off student loan debt.

“The first few years you’re out of college, it’s going to always be based, you know, on your prior tax return, your tax information,” Weller said. “When you graduate, even if you do have debt, it’s not like you’re going to be expected to pay an exorbitant amount of money because you can get into one of their great incomebased repayment plans.”

To find more information for how to pay for your student loans, you can go to the U.S. Department of Education website.

Staff reporter Jamilah Lewis can be reached at jlewis@dailyegyptian.com

Day Starr-Fleming | @daydreamingddrawings

Affirmative action is gone; here’s what Illinois students have to say

Nearly two months after the U.S. Supreme Court ended affirmative action in college admissions, a program that had been in place for more than 50 years, students across Illinois are talking about what it means for themselves, others and universities as a whole.

According to Nina Totenberg’s June article on NPR, titled “Supreme Court guts affirmative action, effectively ending race-conscious admissions,” the court’s decision “ends the ability of colleges and universities - public and private - to do what most say they still need to do: consider race as one of many factors in deciding which of the qualified applicants is to be admitted.”

Jalen Ralph, a biracial finance major at SIU, isn’t overly concerned about the

action,” he said.

It’s important to note that while colleges cannot explicitly consider race, they are not prohibited, according to Chief Justice John Roberts, from “considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

Shaughn McGuire, a biracial architectural studies major at the University of Illinois, thinks that universities, even if they can’t explicitly consider race, will still likely take it into account where appropriate.

“There’s nothing really stopping a college from accepting someone because of their race. Even though it may be banned, but there’s no way to prove it,” McGuire said.

The diversity of campuses, something

also thinks that affirmative action was playing an important role in diversity.

“Diversity is crucial for the development of global unification. In my eyes, I don’t think affirmative action is the answer we need, but it was helping us get to where we needed to be,” they said.

Lilley suggested the Supreme Court ruling is premature.

“We cannot be a post-racist society if different cultures fail to interact. We shouldn’t need affirmative action but we do, and we definitely rid ourselves of it too soon,” Lilley said.

Andrew McDaniels, an African American education major at SIU, thinks the degree to which diversity will be affected depends largely on what structure for diversity was in place before.

“If colleges were looking at, occasionally, the race of a person in order to increase the diversity of their campus… then in some places [diversity] might take a hit. And some places, where diversity isn’t a big factor or something they don’t really care about, then in light, it will definitely suffer there,” McDaniels said.

Just after the ruling was announced, SIU administrators said it won’t directly affect admissions at this university.

colleges, universities and the nation.”

McDaniels is optimistic about the future of diversity, despite the ruling.

Ralph points out the end of affirmative action may change how students view college and ultimately getting in.

end of affirmative action.

“I think that if we’re trying to move forward and try to get rid of racism or discrimination as a whole, I don’t think we should have affirmative

that is celebrated at many schools, could possibly suffer due to the end of affirmative action, many observers say.

Fern Lilley, a White double major in philosophy and history from SIU,

“While the SIU System does not use race as a factor in undergraduate admissions decisions, our campus leaders are deeply concerned about the court’s decision. Today’s ruling coupled with similar decisions in several states across the country, may embolden critics of diversity and reverse generations of progress at

“It’s going to make some waves in the water; some places are gonna get hurt, but I think as an overarching idea, I think we’re going to be ok,” he said.

One of the main concerns over affirmative action is how students who may have benefitted from it in the past are going to be affected as they try to gain entry to colleges.

McGuire has a different take.

“I feel like although affirmative action is gone, people of diverse backgrounds will still continue to be accepted into universities and will still continue to go to universities,” he said.

McGuire also pointed out that as diversity in all aspects of America grows, it likely will in colleges too.

“So even if a lower percentage of people of colors are starting to be accepted into said colleges and said universities, the plain fact is that every part of America is becoming more diverse. So universities will follow that trend as well,” he said.

“If we were to instill within, you know, all the cultures that getting education and then a job that pays well, if we were to push that instead of just saying because of your race, we’re going to give you more benefits, I think that would hopefully push them to push themselves instead of just, you know, giving out free stuff,” he said.

Ralph also sees another possible benefit to the end of affirmative action: it may help universities keep more of their students.

He said affirmative action “gets people in, but it doesn’t really help them stay” or doesn’t give them incentive to.

“I think some people will obviously have issues with it,” Ralph said. “But if we, you know, if we’re trying to help people, genuinely people of all color, all beliefs, I don’t think overall this should be a major issue.”

Ryan GRieseR RGRieseR@dailyeGyptian com

Lane Frost | lfrost@dailyegyptian.com

“There’s nothing really stopping a college from accepting someone because of their race.”

- Shaughn McGuire SIU Student

“If we’re trying to help people... of all color, all beliefs, I don’t think overall this should be a major issue.”

- Jalen Ralph SIU Student

Project 90: A second chance for SIU students who left Carbondale too early

Kim Rendfeld SiU CommUniCationS

Thirty-four years after leaving the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus two classes short of a bachelor’s, Percy James Timberlake Jr. of Chicago has earned his degree, thanks to SIU’s Project 90 initiative.

“I wanted to show my children it’s never too late to get an education or finish what you started,” he said. “They are really proud of me. A lot of my friends are proud of me. It was worth it. I appreciate the program and hope people take advantage of it.”

Project 90 is for Salukis who have completed at least 90 credit hours – about three years of college – but did not finish their degrees, said Wendell Williams, associate chancellor of enrollment management. The program allows students to obtain their degrees through online coursework.

“We understand life does not go according to plan, and Salukis may stop out for a variety of reasons,” Williams said. “They deserve the chance to earn their degree. Project 90 is a pathway for them to achieve their vision.”

Gary Heflin, ’89, vice president of the SIU Alumni Association Board of Directors, said he and other alumni suggested to university leadership that SIU assist Salukis who were close to graduation before leaving campus.

“This program is one of the greatest things we can do,” he said. “We always take care of each other and give people second chances. As a Saluki family, we stick together. We do what we can for each other.”

Salukis interested in Project 90 can request information online.

Timberlake is the first Saluki to earn his degree through Project 90. His journey to SIU Carbondale started with a conversation he had with his mother right after his 21st birthday, when he was working at a fast-food restaurant in Chicago.

“She said, ‘Ever think of going back to school?’

“I said, ‘No.’

“’You should think about that.’”

He did think about it. And he decided to attend SIU, where he studied administration of justice and met lifelong friends and the woman he would marry.

“I had great professors,” he said. “I learned valuable life lessons. College teaching is more than books. College changed my whole thought process. It taught me to appreciate education.”

His then wife graduated before he did and moved back to Chicago with their infant son.

“I wanted to be there for my son,” he said.

“My main concern was being a good father.”

In 1989, he left the SIU campus and went on to a 30-year career in the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. The couple had three more children, and it was important to them that all four get a college education, which they did.

“They all did good. I’m proud of them.”

After a pilot of Project 90 was launched last year, Heflin recruited his friend.

“One day Gary came to me and asked, ‘Ever think of finishing up?’” Timberlake said.

Two years into retirement, Timberlake earned his degree by taking two online courses. He needed to adjust to the online environment, which was different from the in-person interactions he had on the SIU campus. Still, professors were attentive.

“It was a challenge, but it was worthwhile,” he said. “I did finish. It was a good feeling.

“I would like to acknowledge everyone who was instrumental in getting this program off of the ground and putting it into motion. I am grateful for their feet-on-the-ground effort, which helped me complete what I started in fall of 1984. For that, I owe a debt of gratitude to all involved.”

(From left) Cassandra Prince-Coachman, Stoney Clark Harrison, LaTia Collins, Percy James Timberlake Jr. and Veronica Washington celebrate Timberlake’s graduation. (Photo by Brandon Macier)

What You Forgot to Pack for College

So you’ve just moved into your first college dorm. Congratulations and welcome to your new home for the next nine months! Now that you’ve unpacked your bags and gotten used to the smell of the dusty maroon dorm curtains, here is a list of things that you probably forgot to pack with you, but you will definitely want to have this semester.

Water Filter Pitcher

Let’s be honest, tap water from the dorms is disgusting. Call me crazy, but I have a difficult time drinking any kind of tap water, and as much as I love plastic water bottles, they create a number of problems. The first is that they are harmful to the environment. This is nothing new, but they’re also an extra three to five dollars every time you go grocery shopping that college students don’t need to waste money on. On top of that, it’s one more thing to add clutter to your room when you inevitably leave half-empty bottles of water on every flat surface (and we don’t have our moms around anymore to tell us to pick them up, so trust me, they accumulate quickly).

You could go the route of just filling up a big water bottle in the dorm water fountain, but that’s another thing you have to carry around with you and the dorms all have sinks, so I highly recommend investing in a water filter (I went with Brita) and filling it up in your dorm and drinking from that. It is so much more convenient and you won’t have to drink plain tap water or make a late night run to the first floor to get water from the fountain. This was honestly one of my favorite dorm room essentials my freshman year.

10

Foot Charging Cord

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but no charging cord could ever be long enough in a dorm room where outlets are spread out in weird areas, and when you’re doom-scrolling through TikTok in your bed at 3 a.m. instead of studying for your finals, you’ll want the longest cord you can find so you can comfortably scroll to your heart’s content.

Don’t be afraid to splurge on a

charging cord because when you hold it in your bed, people tend to bend the cord until it eventually unravels, so you want one that will hold up well.

Large Umbrella

I feel like every college student has this same story; the second week of my freshman year, I was getting ready for my class at Lawson Hall when it began to rain—no, downpour. I was in Mae Smith and had to walk the entire way across campus for my class and all I had was a compact umbrella and a windbreaker. Needless to say, I was soaked and shivering in my class and most of the things in my bag got wet as well because my umbrella barely covered the top of my head.

You might be worried a big umbrella will be too bulky to carry around in class but I promise you that a bulky umbrella in class is a

lot more manageable than having to sit in soaking wet clothes for a lecture,or heaven forbid, an exam. If you can fit a small family under your umbrella, you have the right size.

Good Walking Shoes

The miles on your shoes rack up quickly on a college campus. My second year at SIU I lived in Schneider and had half of my classes in the Communications Building. There aren’t many variations of living arrangements and classes that go further than that, so I spent a lot of my time walking. Now, at first, I wanted to have cute shoes to go with my outfits but by the end of the year, I had completely worn holes in every pair of my cute (but super thin) shoes.

I truly believe there is a way to be fashionable and comfortable at the same time and it is so worth it to find the happy medium, because there have been times that I would wear

a nice pair of boots to my classes but by the time I got there, I couldn’t fathom walking back home because my feet already hurt so terribly.

Medicine

If you leave your dorm room at all, you are bound to get sick on a college campus. Think about college like an 18-to-20-something-year-old version of kindergarten. Everyone has a snotty nose and a cough and they’re all giving it to everyone else. Then, on weekends, we pack together in the hot and muggy basement of a frat house and breathe our germs into each other’s faces, repeating the cycle until we graduate.

It’s almost inevitable, so I highly recommend preparing your dorm room with a bit of cold medicine and Tylenol to help you bounce back when you’re feeling sick. While you’re at it, get some Gatorades to help rehydrate after a long night of partying.

Bonus: Family Recipe

This one might seem completely unnecessary, but one day, there is going to be a snow day or you’re going to have a bad day at school and all you will want is a home-cooked meal. A family recipe is going to be just what you need. I believe the SIU dining halls have the best chicken nuggets I’ve ever had, but nothing that comes out of a dining hall can ever compare to food from home, so pick your favorite comfort recipe (I chose the pancake recipe my family always made growing up) and copy it into your notes or on a recipe card. Then, when that day comes that you need a little extra comfort, break out that recipe and feel a little bit closer to home.

Student managing editor Sophie Whitten can be reached at @sophiewhitten_ or at swhitten@dailyegyptian.com

Sophie Whitten | @SophieWhitten

Places to take a break on campus

Devon Moon | @woah_devon

It’s finally the weekend…but what is there to do?

You’ve just finished a grueling first week of school. You enjoy the freedom of your newfound college experience but you weren’t ready for the sheer number of discussion posts you would have due by the end of the week.

Just as you begin to feel overwhelmed by the entirely new responsibility that you now have of being an adult, a friend from your floor asks if you would like to go out this weekend. You have plenty of options to choose from.

Here is your guide to nightlife in Carbondale.

The bars are almost always a good time. The only thing to consider is which one piques your interest. Every bar has its own individual personality.

LEVELS

If you are an underclassman who is ready to live the so-called “college experience,vvz z vzv ” the re-opened Levels is the place you need to be.

Levels is the largest of the four bars discussed in this guide, with the highest weekly attendance on average (for now). It had been closed down for several years before its return in the spring semester of 2023.

Its highly anticipated re-opening did not disappoint, as many people flooded the entrance on Feb. 10. Levels is more of a club than anything else featured in Carbondale.

It has one main bar room which faces you as soon as you enter. It also has two side bars on either side of the multi-leveled stage (hence the name). There is an ultra-large TV opposite the stage that routinely plays music videos and flashing lights to keep the crowd invigorated.

There are also two bathrooms. One connected to the main bar and another on the right side of the stage.

The surplus of bars and bathrooms make the wait time for drinks and potty breaks much quicker.

The floor stays busy, with a high chance you will bump into somebody at least once while trying to navigate the large open area. The first level of the stage is essentially the same with more dancing.

On the second level is where the sweating will start. This section looks like one big honeycomb of groups, with their backs facing one another, trying to bust a move despite the lack of space.

If you made it to the third and final level, congratulations. You are the life of the party.

Here is where conversations are impossible and you are destined to lose the rest of your friend group. Anyone who survives a full three hours on the third level deserves a medal.

The music at Levels is widely thought to be quality, with a playlist featuring a mix of today’s best hits with some absolute classics thrown in. The only problem arises when you go to Levels for the third time and realize it’s essentially the same tracklist over and over again.

Levels is located in a convenient spot for many students. It’s within a five-minute walk from the East Campus dorms as well as apartment complexes like Aspen and The Pointe. Don Taco is just down the road for a perfect post-bar snack.

STIXX

It is yet another establishment which reopened in the past couple of years. This time, in May of 2022.

Stixx originally had the gravitas of Levels before it had reopened. It offered a more club-like atmosphere than other nightlife in Carbondale.

Now, Stixx is experiencing a slight fall off. And the closing of

Carbondale’s beloved Chango’s this past year has not helped their situation, seeing as it was right next door.

Stixx is located on the strip and as you walk inside, there are two rooms and a hallway to your left. The first room on the right is where anyone can play pool with their buddies and have a nice chat.

If you continue to walk down the hallway (which has the one and only bathroom on the left), you will walk into this venue’s main area.

Directly in front of you, is the large circular bar where you will get your drinks at a moderate speed if you decide to order one. Then, if you walk just a little further, you will find the dance floor.

At the back of the bar is the stage, which is 1-foot tall with enough room to fit about 30-40 people. Have pity

for the dancers on the edge all night long, destined to lose their balance at least 100 times throughout the night.

Stixx has a pretty good tracklist and tends to mix it up more than the DJ at Levels. However, the chance of an absolute dud is much more common here.

Onto Stixx’s senior counterpart on the famous Carbondale strip: Traxx.

TRAXX

Unlike both bars previously mentioned, Traxx is a solid joint, with not a lot of rocky history aside from a couple of suspensions here and there. It is the perfect bar to go to if you are the type who wears a hoodie with a flannel pullover on top of it.

Check that, this place does have a unique ability to be for everyone. It has a very “college-town” bar feel to it.

Plus, it’s the only bar with no cover fee. It’s easy to see why it has developed its own ‘cult’ of followers who will hang out there on any random Wednesday night.

As you enter, pool tables are available to your left, followed by a row of seats that are usually occupied by groups of students having a drink in hand.

Straight ahead is the bar, where getting a drink on a busy night might take you 20 minutes. There are only three bartenders, and it can feel daunting with everyone piled on top of one another (not to mention the line for the bathroom also happens to be in this vicinity).

In between the seated area and bar is the dance floor. It’s quite small, but leaves an inviting atmosphere for students to break it down to some good overall music.

Traxx greets you on the left after the four-way intersection that starts the strip, conveniently located right next to Insomnia Cookies and the Evolve apartments.

HANGAR 9

Hangar 9 stands as the sophisticated

older brother to the other bars for Carbondale students.

Freshmen are not commonly found here. If you enjoy live music, craft beer, and somewhere you can actually have a full length conversation with someone; this is your place.

As you walk in, the bar stands right in front of you, with the stage on its left. In front of the stage are areas to sit and a staircase leading up to the second floor which offers more space to get associated with people.

It also has the largest and most decorative outside seating section.

Hangar 9 is also famous for its themed nights which can range from emo to karaoke to Latino. More than likely, it will host a night with a niche of yours.

Hangar 9 is located on the back end of Carbondale’s strip, right across from the newly renamed “Big Chill” ice cream shop (formerly the iconic Dairy Queen). It is probably the farthest regularly attended bar for SIU students.

If you plan to attend a fraternity or any other form of greek life, be ready for all the stereotypes to be true. Disgusting bathrooms, walls with holes splattered across them and vomit in the bushes.

That being said, frats are where you can meet some great friends and hear some of the best (or worst) mixes. It’ll be packed in almost every basement but there are usually groups of people outside catching some air throughout the night.

Just be sure the fraternity is safe and plan accordingly if it is a farther distance than any of the bars.

At the end of the day, there is a place for you on the weekends in the small town of Carbondale. You just have to find the right one for your tastes.

The Punk Pop/Post Emo Band Wayside hangs out at Hangar 9 before taking the stage for their performance on August 19th, 2023. Simeon Hardley | @SimShardPhotography

Alex Wilson and his friends start a game of pool at Hangar 9 on Saturday night, August 19th. 2023 Simeon Hardley | @SimShardPhotography

Spot on: SIU’s Saluki Aces finish second in 2023 Air Race Classic

Trusting their instincts and making smart decisions to overcome difficult weather paid off over the summer for Southern Illinois University Carbondale Aviation’s Saluki Aces Meadow Boden and Graci McDaniel.

The pair finished second — both overall and in the collegiate division — of the 46th transcontinental Air Race Classic — the four-day, 2,334 nautical mile journey from Grand Forks, North Dakota, to Homestead, Florida, June 20-23. The 2023 event, which honors female aviators, featured 41 teams of competitors of all ages and experience levels this year, including 14 universities.

Racing with a unique handicap and against their own best time, Boden and McDaniel made several decisions during their journey that helped propel them to SIU’s second-highest overall finish in eight years of competing. A team from SIU won both the overall and collegiate title in 2015. Results are available on the Air Race Classic website.

McDaniel, of Pinckneyville, who earned her bachelor’s degree in aviation management in May, had hoped to at least finish third in the collegiate category as Boden and her teammate, Abby Lee, did in 2022.

“Sitting in the awards banquet, we were in shock that we did as well as we did,” she said. “I was never expecting to be in the top 10

of all the racers. We ultimately just focused on not getting penalties and doing our best. I’m still in shock, and it is a major highlight of my life. We couldn’t have done it without each other, and we are so proud to be Salukis!”

Competitors included trainees on Boeing 777s, retired air traffic controllers, fixed base operator (FBO) airport owners and collegiate teams. Competing against women of these different backgrounds is one of Boden’s greatest experiences.

“Placing second among the 41 teams showed that no matter your background, you really can do anything,” said Boden, of Bushnell, a 2022 SIU graduate and certified flight instructor in the program.

Weather posed challenges

The biggest challenge while flying more than 30 accumulated hours was weather. The race’s goal is to beat your own handicap, “which was extremely difficult with the amount of wind we had to encounter,” and major concerns of afternoon thunderstorms in southern Florida, Boden said. The team faced “huge headwinds all week” along with storms in Alabama and Florida, said McDaniel, noting the “smart decisions by flying as low to the ground as we could legally and safely and examining the convective weather carefully.”

“The night before the race deadline, we decided that we would be pleased with simply completing the race. Waiting around for

a line of thunderstorms to go through, then quickly making the decision to complete the next leg before more storms came was very challenging but ultimately paid off,” Boden said.

Finding hotels was another challenge, with McDaniel noting that one night they stayed with one of the Auburn University teams in a hangar generously provided by a volunteer at one of the stops.

More than just a race McDaniel and Boden said they made meaningful connections and friendships with other race participants, event officials and volunteers that will last a lifetime. The event will “always be a home away from home for me,” said McDaniel, adding she gained “an invaluable amount of aviation skills flying over a good chunk of the

United States.”

Boden said the race is “so much more than the competition itself,” predicting that she will likely cross paths with many of the women in the future.

“I am so grateful that Meadow was my partner. We worked as a great team to accomplish what we did. We trusted our guts and collaborated to end with a finish that we were not expecting,” McDaniel said, again thanking the aviation program and aviation maintenance and flight line crew for their work.

Another example of program’s excellence

José Ruiz, professor and School of Aviation director, said the work by Boden and McDaniel “speaks to the high level of expertise possessed by our students and flight

instructors. It also reflects very positively on the caliber of flight instruction associated with the SIU aviation flight program.

“The School of Aviation is committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity among our student body, instructional staff members and support staff. National recognition of this type showcases and reinforces that commitment.”

This summer, there are 554 undergraduate students in the School of Aviation’s three programs – aviation flight, aviation maintenance and aviation technologies, with 90 of those students being women. Ruiz anticipates both numbers will increase in the fall.

Pete Rosenbery can be reached at pete.rosenbery@siu.edu

Pete RosenbeRy | sIU CommUnICatIons

SIU Aviation’s Graci McDaniel, left, and Meadow Boden finished second, both overall and in the collegiate division, of the 46th transcontinental Air Race Classic. (Photo by Russell Bailey)

Saluki sports look to make noise this fall

Each sport returning this fall to SIU has high expectations for the coming season after some turbulence experienced in 2022. These student-athletes are facing a lot of pressure, as football, volleyball and women’s soccer are some of the most popular sports on campus.

That pressure is no further evident than for the women’s soccer team here at SIU. Last year was their first full season with a winning record; but the dream was short lived as head coach Craig Roberts was put on administrative leave midseason. He has since been let go after an investigation conducted by the university.

Goalkeeper Ary Laugher said this offseason has been a real change of pace from the past.

“I think we’ve been in a super awesome place this preseason and we’re ready for this fresh start,” Laugher said.

The Saluki soccer team was just issued new jerseys for the 2023 season. One could think this symbolizes a new age coming for the Dawgs on the pitch.

The soccer team has been working to get better all summer, with practices multiple times a week, plus two preseason games. The regular season started with a 2-1 win on Aug. 17.

Laugher said the team has implemented new strategies on both sides of the ball and she’s been very impressed with new players on the team.

“We’ve been working really hard. There are a lot of new perspectives and styles of play that we haven’t seen before,” Laugher said.

On that note, the Dawgs are extremely young this year. The roster consists of 31 players, 13 of which are freshmen. For this squad, winning games early will be crucial to gain momentum for conference play.

“Those are some of the most important games of the season,” Laugher said.

That’s typically the case for young teams. It also happens to be that the Salukis on the volleyball court can relate.

Junior outside hitter Nsia Gittens said her team can’t wait to get on the road and play in those highly anticipated earlyseason tournaments.

The Salukis began with an exhibition game on Aug. 19 against Saint Louis University, which they won by a set score of 3-1. Before the game, Gittens said the Salukis were ready to test themselves against the Billikens.

“It will really set the tone with where we’re at and how good we actually are. So I think it’s probably

one of the most important matches we have,” she said.

For Gittens, she’s one of the few upperclassmen on this year’s roster. After missing almost all of last season with an injury, she is ready for a fresh start in 2023.

“I haven’t played in almost a year now [..] so me and Ceci (Buhlman) are buzzing to play. We’re really excited,” Gittens said.

Sophomore outside hitter Buhlman also missed most of the 2022 season with injuries after an impressive freshman showcase. Last year, multiple freshmen like Buhlman, received lots of playing time and rose to the occasion.

Gittens specifically praised sophomore libero Claudia Bobb on her work this offseason.

“When Claudia is back there, I feel like I have nothing to worry about because she is so quick. She has adapted so well to playing with us,” she said.

There’s a real chance this is the year it all comes together for the Salukis. With a good mix of veteran leadership and young talent, Gittens said, the rest of the conference should watch out.

“We have all the pieces. We just lacked confidence last year, but this year I want us to understand how

good we really are,” Gittens said. There’s another team on campus that hopes to have a comeback year: the SIU football team.

After a 2021 campaign that saw SIU gain its highest NCAA ranking in years along with a playoff berth, the Salukis had a slight fall from grace during the 2022 season.

Last year’s Dawgs finished 5-6, losing the last four games of the season and missing the playoffs. It’s safe to say expectations were not met for what was thought to be another historic run for Southern Illinois.

However, failing to make the playoffs last year may have been the spark SIU needed to have a resurgence. Junior linebacker Branson Combs said the Salukis understand more than ever what it takes to win.

“It was tough last year, being down a little earlier than we have been and that’s something we want to get back to,” he said. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been slight distractions to start.

The team is already on its third defensive coordinator since the end of last season, after Jason Petrino left for the same position at North Dakota State, and his

replacement DJ Vokolek resigned to take a role at Northwestern just before training camp.

SIU then appointed Antonio James, who has been asked to come up with a new defensive scheme on the fly. While it is not an ideal situation, Combs said Coach Hill appointed the right man for the job.

“It’s a little tough having to learn it all on such short notice, but Coach James is a great person and a great coach. We have all the confidence in the world when it comes to him leading the defense,” Combs said.

It isn’t just the defensive side of the ball where fans have concerns. On the offensive side, the Salukis lost running back JaVon Williams Jr. and wideout Avante Cox this offseason, two key parts in SIU’s offensive scheme.

Despite the doubt from outside sources, Combs said fans have nothing to worry about. There is still plenty of talent left on the offensive side in the likes of quarterback Nic Baker, receiver D’Ante Cox and running back Justin Strong.

“We have playmakers all over the field with guys that can make plays; and that’ll be expected out of our offense,” he said.

It isn’t just returning players that have shown out. Multiple transfers have stepped right in during camp and have made quite an impact, according to Combs.

The Salukis are set to have an interesting start to the season with some tough matchups. They have circled the rivalry game against Southeast Missouri State on Sept. 16, their third game of the year.

For Combs, it’s crucial his team comes out swinging in the decades-old feud.

“The War of the Wheel is a huge rivalry game. That’s something we can hang up in the locker room. Being able to grab a win before heading into conference play would be great,” he said.

No matter the player, no matter the team. Each Saluki studentathlete has one goal: to get better day in and day out.

Despite each team experiencing some missteps last year, they have expressed full confidence it is all behind them. The only thing left to do is take their team to new heights; whether it’s on the court, field or pitch.

Editor-in-Chief Cole Daily can be reached at cdaily@ dailyegyptian.com

4085 - Thomas Burks (97) kicks a field goal for the maroon team as the Salukis face off and play against each other in a scrimmage game Aug. 19, 2023 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Ill. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto

It’s Dec. 1, 1964. The roar of the crowd echos through the Banterra Center as you hear the swish of the net when the first point of the game is scored with a free throw by George McNeil and the buzz of the time clock down on Harry L. Crisp Sr. Court.

It’s the first game for the Salukis Men’s Basketball team in the new complex, and they would go on to beat Oklahoma State 78-55.

Since those early days, the court has hosted hundreds of basketball games, free tuition raffles, and hundreds of other events.

Opened after two years of construction, the court was home to the class of 1964’s graduation commencement.

The court was funded by the founder of Pepsi Mid-America, Harry L. Crisp Sr. He was born in Aiken, Illinois, about a six-hour drive from Carbondale. He graduated from Benton High School and attended Southern Illinois University.

From a young age, he was an avid businessman, starting his career in his father’s general store back in Aiken and then starting his own poultry and hatchery’s business in

What’s in a name: Harry L. Crisp Court

1926, located in Marion, Illinois. He and his wife ran the hatchery until 1935, when he worked his way into the soft drink bottling business with Pepsi Mid America.

“We started out in 1936 with Pepsi Cola… we’ve added flavors and Dr Pepper, and in one territory we have 7up,” Crisp Sr. said in a radio interview before his death.

By 1970, Crisp Sr.’s firm had control of Pepsi-Cola franchises in five different states, along with a few other soft drink franchises.

“We operate only in Illinois in 23 counties. We’ve added many more in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas,” Crisp Sr. said.

Having 41 different competitors in the Pepsi Mid America territory, Crisp used his skills to grow his business to make it the company that many people know and love today.

“We could see that we had a good future in the beverage business, but we didn’t dream that we would get up to four and five million cases, which we do this year,” Crips Sr. said.

He was nominated for Marion’s Man of the Year in 1970; while he didn’t win the title, he was still thought very highly of in his community and his nomination showed that.

Serving 20 years on Marion’s City Council and holding the position of mayor for 12 years, Crisp was the first mayor to ever be elected to three consecutive terms.

In his time in these positions, Crisp assisted in campaigns to better the community and was a member of numerous organizations.

Crips Sr. was honored as the “Top Banana” in 1974 at the international banana festival in Fulton, Kentucky. This demonstrated how communities that he was a part of thought of him and his activities with his businesses by recognizing him outside of the soft drink bottle in community.

During his time in politics in Southern Illinois, Crisp Sr. helped to promote the standing of Marion. He helped with campaigns that aided with the establishment of the Veterans Hospital and Marion memorial Hospital and the U.S. federal penitentiary.

Crisp Sr. was and active member of the Rotary Club and Elks Lodge No. 800, as well as the Williamson County Fair Board. He was even presented the Masonic 50 year pin by the Thompsonville Masonic Lodge.

Crisp Sr. died suddenly in his Marion home on Nov. 30, 1975,

leaving his children and wife in charge of his estate.

He was thought of as a hard working, self built, reliable person in the Southern Illinois community for the many years that he was a part of it.

Thanks to his donation, Southern Illinois University was able to start construction for Harry L. Crisp Sr. Court in 1962, and later open it in 1964.

Later in 2010, the basketball court went through a $30 million renovation, which was also sponsored by the Crisp family. This renovation consisted of new seating throughout all levels of the arena, new forms of accessibility to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, new and improved concessions and a new scoreboard.

Not only is the court sponsored by the founder of Pepsi Mid America, all of the facilities around Southern Illinois University campus serve Pepsi products, because of the loyalty the community has to the Crisp family.

After Harry L. Crisp Sr.’s passing, the Pepsi Mid America was handed down to the chairman and CEO of the company, Crisp Sr.’s son, Harry L. Crisp Jr.

Thanks to years of working in the business with his father, Crisp Jr. was

able to keep up the standards and relations of the company.

Crips Jr. was very much involved in his community, much like his father. Being in a leadership position in local, state and national organizations, Crisp Jr. followed closely in his fathers footsteps being named Marion’s Man of the Year in 1982.

Supporters say Crisp Jr. has upheld his reputation, maintained quality relationships, and given the community a reason to trust him, like they did his father for so long.

Crisp Jr. and his wife, Rosemary Berkel Crisp, started a foundation in 1994 shortly after taking over Pepsi Mid-America. In the last two years, this foundation has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Bethel University, the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Illinois and St. Thomas ore Church.

The court in Crisp Sr.’s name has become one of the best home court environments in the nation, hosting seven undefeated mens basketball seasons. It was the first MVC court to host ESPN College Game Day, and has also welcomed some of the biggest names in music.

Sports reporter Joei Younker can be reached at

Joei Younker JYounker@dailYegYptian com

Fans pack the Harry Crisp Court for a New Years celebration game as the Salukis take on the Belmont Bruins Jan. 1, 2023 at the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Ill. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

We are a locally owned grocery store where everyone is welcome to shop, with no membership required (but we do offer benefits if you decide to become an owner).

All products sold and made at the Co-op are natural and free of undesirable ingredients, many of which are organic and non-gmo We have a large selection of Vegetarian, Vegan, gluten free, and dairy free options. Other dietary needs? Just ask- we would love to help!

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